Additional Director General of Police, State Cyber Cell, Yogesh Choudhary said, “with rising demand of COVID-19 related medical stuffs, the city is witnessing various cases of online theft”. According to him criminals are found assuring folks about the availability of various emergency commodities like medicines and injections online. They enlist their numbers over various social media platforms as suppliers. The people who are needy and have no other source call them and are asked to pay advance through online payment. Once the fund is transferred the suppliers promising help online does not show up offline.

 

The needy land up turning victim of online theft. In other case criminals are found sharing vulnerable photographs of COVID-19 patients and are seeking financial aid. Emotional people get carried away with it end up helping them by transferring money to their accounts. But unfortunately no such patient lives in the real world say Choudhary. Choudhary made an appeal to the residents of the city to be cautious and alert. He asked not to transfer any amount in the provided bank details without cross verifying it. He also asked citizens to not tap on the link sent by any unknown person over social media platform and not rely on online procuring sites for medicines and injections. Also do not rely on the numbers showed up on search engine of any social media platform.

 

This might lead to fraud and theft. He asked people to only transfer money to the registered account of the company and not in personal accounts. And if possible choose cash on delivery options only. If people of the city witness any kind of fraud or online theft they can call on the numbers provided on the website of that hospital. Or on toll free number 15526 or can also register complain at their nearest police station or on www.cybercrime.gov.in.